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Composite Material 1589
is visible; when it is close to full intensity, the
other component is visible.
Tip: Using a Noise map for the mixing map can
give good effects that have a natural appearance.
Mix Amount is unavailable while a map is
assigned to this parameter. If Use Curve is
turned off, the mixing map is used as is. If
Use Curve is on, you can shift the effect of the
mixing map’s gradient ramp to reveal more of
one material and less of the other.
Inter face
Material 1/Material 2—Set the two materials to be
blended. Use the check boxes to tur n the materials
on and off.
Interactive—Cho o ses which of the two materials is
displayed on object surfaces in viewports by the
interactive renderer.
If one material has Show Map in Viewport (page
2–1445) on, this t a kes precedence over the
Interactive setting. Only one map at a time can be
displayed in v iewports.
Mask—Sets a map to use as a mask. The degree of
blending between the two materials depends on
the intensity of the mask map. Lighter (whiter)
areas of the mask show more of Material 1, while
darker (blacker) areas of the mask show more of
Material 2. Use the check box to turn the mask
map on or off.
Mix Amount—Determines the proportion of the
blend (percentage). 0 means only Material 1 is
visible on the sur face; 100 means only Material 2
is v isible. Unavailable if you have assigned a mask
mapandthemask’scheckboxison.
You can animate this par ameter. Create Material
Prev iew (page 2–1434) is useful for testing the
effect.
Mixing Curve group
The mixing curve affects how gradual or how
sharp the transition between the two colors being
blended will be. It affects the blend only when a
mask map is assig ned.
Tip: For mottled effects, blend two st a n d ard
materials using a noise map as a mask.
Use Cur v e—Determines whether the Mixing Curve
affects the mix. This control is available only when
a mask is assigned and active.
Tra nsi tion Zone—These values adjust the level of
the Upper and Lower limits. If the two values are
thesame,thetwomaterialsmeetatadefiniteedge.
Widerrangesgivemoregradualblendingfrom
one sub-material to the other. The mixing curve
displays the effect of changing t hese values.
Composite Material
Material Editor > Type b utton > Material/M ap Browser
>Composite
Comp osite material composites (page 3–922) up
to 10 materials. The materials are superimposed
from top to bottom, as listed in the rollout.
Materials are combined using additive opacity
(page 3–906), subtractive opacit y (page 3–1017),or
mixed using an Amount value.